Doubt
by btamamura
Summary: Reboot. Penfold has a bad dream that plays on an insecurity of his...Danger Mouse no longer loving him. Can Danger Mouse remind him of the truth? Slash. Dangerfold. Danger Mouse x Penfold.


**Disclaimer:** _I do not own_ _ **Danger Mouse (2015)**_ _or any canon characters. They are the property of their respective owners._

 **Notes:** _**Another random idea that refused to leave me alone and so had to be written.**_

 _ **This is a Dangerfold fic, Danger Mouse and Penfold are romantically involved and engaged to be wed, so there is a slash warning.**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy this!**_

 _ **(Linebreaks hate me so I will use**_ _DMEP_ _ **.)**_

DMEP

 _Midnight in London and everyone, aside from the night owls and those with night shifts, is tucked away in their beds and fast asleep. The same applies to our heroes, Danger Mouse and Penfold. At least, I'm sure it does...I mean, the lights in their flat are off..._

DMEP

Indeed, Danger Mouse and Penfold were asleep in their bed; arms around each other while Penfold snuggled against Danger Mouse's chest. But, Penfold was shivering. Why? It wasn't that chilly of a night, and the heating in their flat wasn't disabled.

Danger Mouse stirred as he felt a damp patch on his pyjama top, right where Penfold's face was buried. He knew it wasn't drool, the viscosity didn't match. His eye fluttered open as he caught a faint whiff of salt. "Penfold...?"

Penfold continued shivering, quiet sounds coming from him.

Concerned, Danger Mouse sat up. "Main light, on!" he commanded. Light filled the room as he pushed Penfold back a little, surprised to see tears running down his face. "Penfold, wake up, it's alright," he called quietly as he gently shook his fiance.

Penfold's eyes finally fluttered open. He noticed his vision was a lot blurrier than usual, though the stinging in his eyes quickly provided the reason why. He looked at the blotch of white, knowing who it was, and threw himself forward, face once again buried into his fiance's chest.

Danger Mouse frowned as he heard Penfold start to sob louder. "A nightmare, was it?" He felt a nod. "Oh, Penfold. It's been months since your last one. What caused this one?"

"I-I..."

"Now now, you can tell me when you calm down. Come on, darling, let's get you some tea, sit on the sofa and have a talk, how's that sound? Good?" He felt another nod. Scooping Penfold into one arm, he threw back the covers and slid out of the bed. On his way out of the room, he collected Penfold's spectacles, knowing he'd need them soon enough.

DMEP

"Here, Penfold, just wait here for me, alright?" He went to sit Penfold on the sofa, but for some reason, that made the sobs harder and louder. "You don't want me to leave you, do you? Alright then. I can make tea with one hand anyway." He carried him to the kitchen, noticing that since he hadn't let him go, the sobs had quietened again. "Penfold, whatever is the matter...?" he whispered under his breath.

DMEP

A few minutes later, the pair were on the sofa. Penfold wore his spectacles, sat beside Danger Mouse and sipped at his tea, Danger Mouse had an arm around Penfold.

"Feeling a little calmer now?"

Penfold quietly nodded.

"I'm glad. Whatever happened in your nightmare must have really shaken you up. You don't have to share all of the details with me if you'd rather not talk about it, but I'd like to help you. What has caused you such distress, dear?"

Penfold sniffed and lowered his cup of tea. "Why do you love me?"

"What do you mean?"

Another sniff. "What if I was a girl? Or not a hamster but something else? What if I was a lot braver than I really am? What if I didn't wear glasses? What if I wasn't a nerd who is good in school? What if I had different coloured fur?"

"Penfold, is this related to your nightmare?"

He nodded. "I turned into someone else and then...you left me."

"Someone else?"

"I was a female beaver with grey fur who was brave enough to take on the most dangerous creature in the world, didn't wear glasses and was great at sports. When you saw me, you said that you no longer loved me and..."

His heart clenched as he saw tears starting to roll down Penfold's cheeks again. He picked him up, sat him on his lap and held him close. "You could be a five-headed monster with no eyes and no fur and I'd still love you."

"DM?"

"I didn't fall for you for any of those reasons singular, even if they are part of the Ernest Penfold package. I fell for you because you're you! Do you remember what drew me to you in the first place?"

"You...you enjoyed my company..."

"Exactly. Did I say anything along the lines of _I like you because you're a hamster_?"

"No..."

"Right."

"But, what about...?"

"What about what?"

"Well, when I first met you, I was so timid and screamed a lot."

"You sometimes are like that, aren't you? But, you've also become more courageous over the years. When I first met you, you hated taking chances. These days, the reluctance is there but you also think _why not?_."

"The glasses? What if I had contacts?"

"Your glasses suit you, but I would still love you if you went for contacts."

"And my fur, what if it was white like yours?"

"You could be completely hairless and I'd fall for you."

"But, DM..."

"Penfold-dear, I fell for your personality. I fell for your loyal, loving nature. I fell for how, even in times of despair, you kept faith. I fell for how, when nobody else believed in me, you always did. I fell for your big heart, your kindness."

"Then...what if that changed? Would you still love me?"

"Yes. Because even if that's what caused me to fall for you, if you were to lose that through no fault of your own, you'd still be Penfold. It would be there somewhere. Remember when my confidence had been stolen?"

"Yes..."

"Did you stop caring about me?"

"Never! I worried about you and wanted to help you find the real you again, but I never stopped caring!"

"See my point?"

His eyes widened. "DM..."

"Penfold, the only things that could make me stop loving you would be outside influences causing me to feel the opposite of what I do like a Hate Ray, or if we had never even met in the first place. But, everything else...none of it would change how special you are to me."

He sniffed again before snuggling closer to Danger Mouse. "Thanks, DM."

"Please don't ever allow yourself to doubt how much you mean to me again, alright? Those doubts are not factual, they have no bearing on the depths of my love for you. You need to understand it, Penfold."

"I do now. Thanks for setting me straight, DM. So...you really would still love me if I was a girl?"

"You could switch your gender every day and I would still love you." He gave him a kiss atop his head. "Nothing will change that."

He nodded. "Just had to make sure one more time to shush those doubts."

"Penfold's doubts, _shush_!"

He chuckled.

"That's better. Now then, feel up to going back to bed?"

"Mm-hm!"

"Finished your tea?"

"Mm-hm!"

"Alright, you go put your cup in the sink and then we'll go back to bed." He helped him to the floor and watched him scurry to the kitchen. He sighed quietly. _Penfold, you've always kept faith in me, even when the world doubted me. But, having you doubt how much you mean to me hurt. You are an amazing hamster, my beloved fiance and my life truly would not be the same without you. I've seen it, I know it. Please continue to keep faith in me, keep faith that I will never leave you until you should ever say you want me to. I love you, Penfold._

"All set, DM!"

He blinked out of his thoughts, smiled and scooped him up. "Right, come along then!" He proceeded to carry him to the bedroom.

DMEP

"DM?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I hurt you. You're right, I should shush my doubts before they can put any thoughts in my head. I do know how much you love me, and I love you as much, maybe more."

"You're forgiven, Penfold. We all have those moments of doubt, even I do. But, what matters is not letting them get to you. Yours did and caused you distress. Yes, it did hurt to hear you questioning my feelings towards you." He set Penfold on the bed and watched him scramble under the covers before joining him. "But, that's just because your nightmare played off an insecurity you have."

He shuffled closer and rested his head against his torso. He felt his fiance's arm around his shoulders.

"We nipped it in the bud, and whenever it needs to be done again, we shall. Not just this insecurity, but any others you have."

"We'll do the same for you too, DM, if any insecurities start to cause you concern."

"My only insecurity is the thought of losing you. Not for the same reasons as yours but...in a more _permanent_ manner."

"I know what you meant."

He looked down to the hamster before leaning down and bringing their lips together. When he pulled back, he removed Penfold's spectacles and used voice-command to switch off the main light. The only source of light in the room was the night light installed for Penfold's sake. "Let's go back to sleep now, alright?" He set the spectacles aside.

Penfold nodded. He leaned up to give Danger Mouse a longer kiss. As he pulled back, he whispered, "good night, DM, I love you".

"I love you too, Penfold. Good night."

They lay down in their earlier position and returned to slumber. Thankfully, no more nightmares were had that night.

DMEP

 _Our heroes are fast asleep once again, secure in knowing the other will be there to assuage any doubts that may surface. I don't doubt that there will soon be more stories about..._ _ **Danger Mouse**_ _!_

DMEP

 **After notes:** _ **Danger Mouse having his confidence stolen happened in an episode called**_ _The Confidence Trick_ _ **.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! You don't have to review, but if you want to say something, please don't flame. Constructive criticism is welcomed as always.**_


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